Chennai: The Madras High Court has directed the Central government and the Medical Council of India (MCI) to answer as to whether there is any Super-Specialty Diploma or Super-Specialty course available in Trigger Point Therapy and Musculo-Skeletal Therapy and how many experts in the said techniques are available in the country. The court also directed the centre and the MCI to introduce such courses in the country if there aren’t any at present

The division bench headed by Justice N Kirubakaran passed the directive in view of an evident “miracle” by the therapy performed on a 9-year-old boy, whose father, i.e., the petitioner sought permission for his passive euthanasia on the ground that the boy has been in Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) since birth.

The boy also suffered from epileptic seizures, caused by a disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain, ranging between 10 and 20 times a day when controlled by medicines.

Earlier, in response to the petitioner’s plea, the HC had formed an experts committee, which gave a report stating that the boy’s condition could not be considered PVS and hence euthanasia could not be performed. Viewing the same, the court had concluded that the boy’s condition could not be reversed as there was no known treatment for the illness.

However, a medical practitioner of Indian stream of medicine associated with Anirudha Medical Organisation came forward to treat the patient using Trigger Point Therapy method and the court obliged for the same.

In October this year, a few days after the treatment; the court came to know that the Trigger Point Therapy proved as a miracle for the child and in support of that, it appreciated the doctor, who performed the therapy.

The court had said, “This kind of improvement shown by a boy who has been lying in a permanent vegetative state (before the treatment) is a miracle for which Dr P Umamaheswari has to be appreciated.” The doctor had come forward voluntarily to the court seeking permission to subject the child to Trigger Point Therapy and the bench too persuaded the parents of the child to give it a shot since it was the petitioner’s case that no doctor had ever expressed any hope of complete recovery of the child’s condition, quotes the Hindu.

During a recent hearing on the case, after being informed about the boy’s condition, the court noted that Trigger Point Therapy has worked wonders on the child and he was responding superbly well to the treatment. Considering the “miraculous” response, the court has directed the centre and the Medical Council of India to introduce such courses in the country if there aren’t any at present and has sought information on the same. The bench stated,

“Trigger Point Therapy, which has worked wonders on the child, who was in a PVS, is said to be part of the syllabus prescribed for Physiotherapy course. If most of the physiotherapists are unable to make use of the said therapy for the betterment of patients, it can only be said that either they are unaware of the said therapy or they lack specialisation in the same”.

Deccan Chronicle reports that passing further interim orders on the petition, Justice Kirubakaran also stated,

“In case, if no such diploma or course is offered, the Medical Council of India is to consider introducing such a course. Also, if any expertise is needed, the Medical Council of India can also get expertise from foreign countries by inviting experts from foreign countries for giving training to Indian students or physiotherapists. The Central government and the Medical Council of India have to come out with their response with regard to the above on the next date of hearing.”

In addition to the case, the bench also praised the organisation where the boy is undergoing treatment,

“After reading newspaper reports, many parents of similarly placed children were approaching Anirudha Medical Organisation Private Limited, where the boy is undergoing treatment. But, most of them are living below the poverty line and could not afford. The pressure is so much that the hospital is unable to give treatment to all patients, free of cost. When the hospital is able to show that the treatment given by it has proved to be a magical one for brain-damaged children, its services could be utilised in a proper manner by Central and State governments. They can provide sponsorships so that more children can be benefited.”

Secretaries of Union and State Health departments would be summoned, if they fail to respond by November 29 to the queries raised by the court, the bench warned.